Transfer Report Card 2010-11: How good were Liverpool’s signings?

By Nick Price

Liverpool‘s season has been overshadowed by turmoil that has affected both transfer windows. A bitter ownership saga dragged on for months and restricted the club’s spending plans last summer while also persuading several players to ultimately jump ship. Then the protracted departure of Roy Hodgson, who had appeared unprepared for and unsuited to the change in direction from the new owners, disrupted plans in January and the newfound cash in the bank went untouched until late in the window.

Of course, by that point Fernando Torres had already forced through a record £50 million exit to Chelsea. That deal left a bitter taste for many but it has given way already to the sweetness of Luis Suarez while a newfound enthusiasm at the club under the stewardship of Kenny Dalglish hints at a promising future, but this remains a transitional season for the Merseyside giants.

IN: Milan Jovanovic (Standard Liege), Jonjo Shelvey (Charlton), Danny Wilson (Rangers), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Christian Poulsen (Juventus), Fabio Aurelio (re-signed after being released by the club), Paul Konchesky (Fulham), Raul Meireles (Porto), Luis Suarez (Ajax), Andy Carroll (Newcastle)

OUT: Yossi Benayoun (Chelsea), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Alberto Aquilani (Juventus loan), Emiliano Insua (Galatasaray loan), Lauri Dalla Valle (Fulham), Alex Kacaniklic (Fulham), Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Paul Konchesky (Nottingham Forest loan)

The first signing of the FSG era and one that looks like paving the way for a bright future. A handful of startling performances have proved to any doubters that the former Ajax man is perfectly suited to English football and the progressive style with which Dalglish has encouraged thus far. A standout show against Manchester United was followed by a blistering goal at Sunderland, a portent of things to come by a man who looks like he can take some of the creative strain off Steven Gerrard’s shoulders. At just 24, the Uruguayan looks set to be at the club for the best years of his career and should be complemented by at least one big attacking signing this summer. Few would argue that this was not money well spent.

Possibly the only plus point of Hodgson’s reign was the signing of the Portuguese midfielder, although the former Fulham boss was largely to blame for some indifferent early performances when he was forced to play out on the right flank. He had shown glimpses of his quality prior to Dalglish’s appointment but has blossomed under the Scot and looks like being part of the midfield setup at the club for the forseeable future. Already forging an almost telepathic relationship with Lucas, the 27-year-old can play almost equally well in all three central midfield roles and has an eye for goal that provides Liverpool an additional threat. Has rendered the loss of Javier Mascherano almost as unnoticeable as the Argentine’s impact at Barcelona.

Damien Comolli’s big gamble. The most expensive British footballer of all time had to wait over a month to make his debut and despite not finding the net in his four injury-restricted appearances he remains the top scoring Englishman in the Premier League – a stat that may explain the somewhat exorbitant fee. If the former Newcastle man can continue to develop – which he really ought to under the tutelage of one of the game’s finest ever forwards – the record fee could look like a bargain given that he has at least another 10 years worth of football in him. However, if he continues to indulge in excesses off the field he could end up being a disastrous purchase, though he has made all the right noises thus far about keeping his life on track. A case of wait and see then.

Another of Hodgson’s picks. Ostensibly signed as a replacement for Mascherano, the Dane was one of the last and least ambitious signings of the Hicks and Gillett era. His experience at some of Europe’s top clubs and on the international stage hinted that he would be a steady if unspectacular buy, but the 31-year-old has been a disappointment whatever spin you put on it, making only a handful of steady performances.

Appearances/Goals: 26/2

As with Carroll you can’t judge a signing differently based on how much they cost, and in the former Chelsea man’s case he cost nothing but has somehow still managed to seem like a bad bit of business. There are extenuating circumstances, however. Injury, which has plagued and stunted his career, has beset the England international but even when fit he has struggled to adapt to his new team-mates, rarely looks comfortable down the flank and simply isn’t the best option in the squad to play in his favoured position in the hole. A reported £90,000 a week deal makes this free signing one of the worst deals of the season.

Signed on a pre-contract deal by Rafael Benitez in his final few tumultuous months at the club, there were never high expectations for the Serb but that does not mean he should be judged sympathetically, just as Bosman flop Andriy Voronin was before him. He played up front at the World Cup and for Standard Liege but has been shifted out wide by both Hodgson and Dalglish, and while he tries hard – like Dirk Kuyt, another striker-cum-winger – he lacks the ability to either beat his marker or offer a goal threat of his own. Fastly becoming a forgotten man at the club and almost certainly will be off in the summer.

Perhaps never has a signing summed up a manager’s disastrous reign as the former Fulham left-back did. Despite being in the final year of his contract, Liverpool splashed out and handed the 29-year-old a generous four-year deal – a surprise given their then financial plight. The two-time England international saw his standing undermined when his mother criticised the club’s supporters for not being grateful for her son’s spectacularly bad displays. To his credit, he kept schtum during the storm in a tea cup. His time at Liverpool, much like his former manager’s, now seems like a bad dream for many a Kopite. Ingloriously shifted out on loan to Championship side Nottingham Forest in January and destined to never play for the Anfield outfit again.

Others

Jonjo Shelvey N/A – Officially signed under Hodgson’s watch, but this one deserves to be credited to Rafael Benitez, who beat off a host of competitors for the midfielder’s signing. Looked composed in several Europa League games but the highly tipped youngster is likely to miss the rest of the season with injury.

Brad Jones N/A – Signed to provide backup to Reina and to bolster the club’s quota of homegrown talent to comply with new Premier League rules, the former Middlesbrough man has made just one start – the League Cup defeat to Northampton.

Danny Wilson N/A – Another of Benitez’s signings, the defender – young player of the season last year in Scotland – has made few appearances, most recently and disappointingly at left-back against West Ham and Braga, but is seen as one for the future in the middle.

Only one of Liverpool’s big summer signings has proven to be a success, with the best part of £10m spent on bad mistakes. Since the change of ownership, Damien Comolli has been brought in by John W Henry to ape the Arsenal model of picking out young talent on the cheap, but he has only been responsible for two purchases and they were far from unheard of before they snapped up, with the former being on the club’s radar for several seasons. Suarez has already proven his credentials while Carroll is still finding his feet and time will tell if the new No.9 will be as much of a hero as the old one.

Arguably, Liverpool should have bought a quality winger in January, but perhaps were taken too much by surprise by the sudden exit of Torres and deemed a third big signing too costly in such an expensive market. Ashley Young appears to be heading the list, and a player of his calibre, along with a left-back, a quality centre-back, another centre-midfielder and a goalkeeper – should Reina decide he cannot afford to sacrifice his career for another season of transition – should be top of Comolli’s list of things to do this summer.

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